


Where the Heart Is

by ArtemisRae



Series: Alphabet Challenge [49]
Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-11-11
Updated: 2010-11-11
Packaged: 2017-10-21 15:31:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 488
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/226742
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ArtemisRae/pseuds/ArtemisRae
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Percy seeks a blessing before he proposes to Annabeth.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Where the Heart Is

**Author's Note:**

> Written for a second round of Alphabet Challenge, where I'm given a prompt for every letter of the alphabet. My prompt for this fic was "gold". Sort of a coda/follow up to [ Bad Penny](http://artemisrae.livejournal.com/145734.html)? It definitely takes place in that universe, seeing as this was a deleted scene from that fic.

* * *

  
_gold_  
-noun

1\. A heavy yellow elemental metal of great value, with atomic number 79 and symbol Au.  
2\. Anything or anyone considered to be very valuable.

* * *

It comes to him after he buys the ring, tries to think of how to ask – Percy talks to his partner at work about how _he’d_ proposed to _his_ wife.

Nick scratches his head. “Um, I just asked at dinner one night. Well – I asked her dad for permission first. She appreciated that - she wanted his blessing.”

Percy frowns. “I’m not sure Annabeth would like that.” Forget the whole knotty “permission” issue – if there was anyone’s blessing Annabeth would care about, it surely wasn’t Dr. Chase’s.

Still, the idea is one that’s taken hold of him, and he turns it over and over in his head the next couple of days , trying to reconcile the idea. He can’t ask Athena – what if she said no? He could ask his own father but that would be weird. Annabeth considered Chiron to be like a father to her, but given that he’d been sending Annabeth off on dangerous quests since she was twelve, Percy has a feeling he knows what Chiron will say if he asks him.

And then it occurs to him – he needs a blessing. And he knows exactly who he needs it from.

But first he needs another ring.

***

The fire in the hearth has almost died, but it’s still burning just enough that Percy feels comfortable kneeling down next to it, throwing on a log, and saying quietly, “Hello Hestia.”

The young girl’s eyes glow as she looks at Percy and smiles warmly. “Hello Percy. What brings you to my hearth?”

Percy pulls out the second ring he’s bought. He learned a long time ago about the symbolism of the ring, why lovers give them to one another: they never end. They mean forever. _Something permanent._

He holds it out for Hestia to inspect. “I came for a blessing.”

Hestia raises an eyebrow and delicately takes the ring from Percy. “It is rare for a demigod to seek a blessing from me of all the gods,” she says slowly, inspecting it. The gold of the band shines in her hand. “I cannot give you the power to fight battles like Ares, or the wisdom to think through challenges like Athena.”

“I don’t need those things,” Percy says, and thinks of Annabeth, and thinks of making a home, making a family with her. “I gave you my hopes during the last battle, and I’m doing it again. I want a hearth of my own.”

Hestia lights up, grinning so brightly that the flames around her flare up as well, heating Percy’s face. ‘“Well done, Percy Jackson. I will bless the hearth that you will create in your home.”

Percy walks away feeling a weight lift off of his shoulders. _Something permanent._

Now all he needs to do is ask Annabeth.


End file.
